BU Senior Lecturer Wins National "Excellence In Nursing" Award

Charles Kemp, a senior lecturer at Baylor University's Louise Herrington School of Nursing in Dallas, has received Elsevier's national grand prize "Excellence in Nursing" award. Nursing faculty across the country were nominated by students for their ability to "inspire and motivate" the students in their programs. Kemp was chosen out of 150 entries by a distinguished panel of nursing book authors.

"I am elated," Kemp said. "I am deeply grateful that Baylor is a place where we can do this type of work and that it is recognized and supported."

This is the first year Elsevier, a world-wide publishing company, has given out the award. Elsevier officials said the idea started last year when a manager suggested it as a way to give something back to nursing faculty and students.

"It's a very inspiring job nursing faculty have," said Joyce Hobbelink, a marketing senior manager at Elsevier. "Many times the hard work they do goes unnoticed and we wanted to show we appreciate what they are doing."

Appreciation is exactly what Baylor nursing graduate Amy Suttle has for Kemp. Suttle said she nominated Kemp after receiving an e-mail about the award.

Last year, Suttle, now an ER nurse in Dallas, had Kemp for a community clinic class at the Agape clinic. The Agape clinic, of which Kemp is director, provides medical services at a low cost in an underserved part of Dallas. What makes the clinic unique is the wide-range of services it provides - everything from primary medical care to social services to spiritual care. The volunteer staff sees more than 125 patients each week.

"Just watching him work with patients and be so giving was inspiring to me," Suttle said. "He embodies what nursing is. As nurses, we can get caught up with what we have to do and forget about the people. He is very much about the people and he leads by example."

Kemp said he plans to give the money he will receive from the award to the Agape clinic.

"I always try to show students that one person can make a difference. Working at the Agape clinic shows students they can change lives," Kemp said.